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For starters, in the world of travelers, tourists and potential future residents, not all are equal. It’s a fallacy to assume everyone who travels has the same intent as you or me.

These travelers can, instead, be generally sorted into two hemispheres.

Larger-than-life destinations like Las Vegas, Nashville, Orlando, et al, appeal to one of those hemispheres: those who want the “theme park” experience — an overwhelming environment manufactured for their maximum entertainment. Nothing wrong with that. But the culture of those places, in many cases, has become tourism.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, places like Asheville, Savannah, Portland, Tallahassee — and other revered meccas of organic and uncomparable culture — appeal to the other half: “cultural tourists.”

They want to experience the quirky, organic culture of their destination as it exists, to belong, and to be a part of someone else’s world for a minute. Those places are soaked in undeniable authenticity, and they have no rivals, only peers.

In truth, it takes a balance of both types of attraction to make a vibrant city. But if we favor one over the other in our approach, any such brand will be inauthentic, doomed to fail through dispirited adoption, and will prevent the attraction of the other hemisphere.

There are also some serious cautionary tales to be heeded.

In some notable cases, the very efforts to promote the culture in other cities have ended up eroding it to emaciation instead, causing gentrification. Like a puppy with a bone that is jealous of its own reflection, they let go of what they truly have before asking critical questions about what they might lose. They are too eager.

Nashville is one of those examples, a theme park facsimile built around a gift shop concept and designed for beads, bachelorette parties and selfies.

There is still much organic culture there, to be sure. But the gleam of uber-tourism is repellent to many who travel for the other type of experience. (That’s OK — they can come here!)

And finally, comparison is the thief of joy. What Tallahassee may lack in comparison to Nashville — which is a lot — we make up for in spades with authenticity and things they can’t have.

That’s because our culture is that one-of-a-kind flower that will grow here and nowhere else. It is not a destination to be built, but an experience to be cultivated. A thing to witness. We grow it first, as we have done for a long time, and then we put a spotlight on it. And once we let it die, it’s gone.

We should be sure to focus on making Tallahassee more like Tallahassee. We can change our brand to attract everyone who will appreciate us. But we shouldn’t change us to make a brand that will attract everyone.

Joe Berg is a small business marketing strategist, a shop local advocate and president of the All Saints District Community Association.